Thank you Brenda for sharing. You've obviously studied your type. I did a quick read of ISFJ at http://typelogic.com/isfj.html. Although I don't know you very well yet, I could already recognize you in that description. You're very giving. Your loved ones (family and friends) are the center of your life, and you will do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING for them...but the chances seem good that they tend to take you for granted and don't often express their appreciation or gratitude...and you need it, but like me, you want that appreciation to come as a free gift, not in response to your asking for it.

I'm no expert and don't want to begin to analyze any one personality type or person here. But I would dare to say that much of what I've shared here in this forum is appropriate for an ISFJ too...and you probably already know all of this, but I'll just summarize it here anyway...

Self-Knowledge: know where your strengths are, but also be aware of your limitations and where you need to set boundaries for that Guardian Protector...you can only stretch yourself so far before you begin to break...you need to find people and situations that will help replenish you with reciprocated care and love.

Truth: know, trust that your presence and giftedness ARE valuable and much needed, and that you ARE deeply loved and appreciated even if they don't tell or show you in the same ways that you so generously show them.

Compassion: treating YOURSELF with the same Compassion you so freely and generously give to others. That's a tough one for other-oriented givers...but you HAVE to put your self on that list of "loved ones you cherish".

You know how profoundly spiritual I am. But sometimes Jesus just doesn't seem enough...we long to be hugged and deeply embraced by a warm human "patch of skin"...but He does companion us through those dark and lonely roads when everyone else appears to have fallen asleep or gone off in other directions. And that's the one person we know we can lean on until we do find that "patch of skin" (***) for that much-needed hug. I've learned that when it's something I REALLY need, it will already be somewhere in my "blanket corner".

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PS: (*** - my apologies for the person here who coined that phrase, "a little patch of God's skin". I've been searching for hours trying to find the post and person so I can give proper credit, but I haven't been able to find you. Please feel free to PM me or post here to refresh my memory on this, so I can give you your proper credit)

[ September 23, 2005, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: Eagle Heart ]